Article holder for use in display rack

ABSTRACT

An article holder on which ornamental articles are displayed and having a longitudinally extending groove integrally formed on the rear surface therefor that is adapted to be frictionally received on a rod of a counter display rack, the frictional engagement of the rod in the groove providing for easy insertion of the article holder on the rod and removal therefrom.

United States Patent 1,997,829 4/1935 McKee inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Hans J. Feibelman l1 Baldwin Orchard Drive, Cranston, RJ.

Aug. 14, 1969 Mar. 9, 1971 Continuation of application Ser. No. 621,246, Mar. 7, 1967, abandoned.

ARTICLE HOLDER FOR USE IN DISPLAY RACK 3 Claims, ,5 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl. 211/113 Int. Cl A471 7/92 Field ofSearch 211/13, 86, 113,50, 55,60,60 (A), 18]; 24/257;40/142, 11

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2ll/50X 2,073,106 3/1937 Hull 40/142x 2,120,511 6/1938 RlSdOl'L, 211/181 2,593,042 4/1952 Lynskey 2l1/60(A) 2,963,761 12/1960 Haydock 24/257 3,191,776 6/1965 Tokash 211/50x 3,304,042 2/1967 Ivandick 211/55x Primary Examiner-Edward C. Allen Attamey-Salter & Michaelson ABSTRACT: An article holder on which ornamental articles are displayed and having a longitudinally extending groove integrally formed on the rear surface thereof that is adapted to be frictionally received on a rod of a counter display rack, the

- frictional engagement of the rod in the groove providing for easy insertion of the article holder on the rod and removal therefrom.

PATENTEDHAR 9m INVENTOR. HANS -J. FE IBELMAN ATTORNEYS ARTICLE HOLDER FOR USE IN DISPLAY RACK This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 621 ,246,now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various types of counter display racks have been employed heretofore for use in the display of ornamental articles and have included constructions that provided for the mounting of cards on which the articles, such as earrings, were displayed. In those counter display racks on which cards were mounted, the cards were not only constructed for receiving the ornamental articles in secure relation thereon, but in many of these prior known display devices-some form of positive gripping element was provided that enabled the card to be secured to the rack. In many of the display racks on which earring ornaments were mounted, the cards were perforated in some suitable manner, a bar of the display rack receiving the cards thereon. Other display racks included clip means for retaining the cards in a display position. Although these prior known mounting means that were adapted to mount the ornamental article for display on a display rack served the purpose intended, they were either too expensive to manufacture or cumbersome to use and usually were not sufficiently omamental to warrant being employed in modern surroundings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention includes aholder for ornamental articles that is adapted to be mounted on a counter display rack. The article holder is preferably formed of a plastic material in a one-piece construction and has an enlarged portion integrally formed on the rear surface thereof adjacent to the upper edge. Extending longitudinally through the enlarged portion is a groove that is defined by opposed legs, the groove being adapted to be received on a bar of the display rack in frictional engagement therewith. When the article holder is mounted in place, the legs that define the groove are slightly parted because of the resilience of the plastic material from which the article holder is formed, the rod thus snapping into the groove and being firmly retained in place by the envelopment of the legs therearound. The article holder in effect depends from the rod and with an ornamental article secured thereto provides for convenient display and accessibility to the article for handling as required. Thus, the article holder is easily slipped in frictional engagement on the rod when the ornamental article is to be mounted for display and may be removed therefrom as a unit with the article when it is required to handle the ornamental article for viewing or packaging or to move it to another location.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an article holder for use with a display rack and that is adapted to be quickly and simply mounted on the rack and removed therefrom as required.

Another object of the invention is to provide a display rack for use in the display of ornamental articles and that includes a plurality of article holders mounted thereon that are formed of a plastic material and that are adapted to frictionally engage a rod of the rack for the mounting for display thereon.

Still another object is to provide a plastic article holder on which an ornamental article is mounted, the plastic article holder being formed with a groove on the rear surface thereof that is adapted to receive a rod therein in frictional engagement when the article holder is mounted on a counter display rack in the display position thereof.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I is a perspective view of a portion of the display rack embodied herein and showing the article holders of the present invention mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along lines 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of an article holder illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of a modified form of article holder; and i 7 FIG. 5 is a sectional view of afurther modified form of article holder.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawing and particularly to FIG. 1, a display rack generally indicated at 10 is partially illustrated and, as shown, includes a vertical standard 12 that is adapted to be secured to any suitable base (not shown). It is understood that a vertical standard similar to the standard 12 will be spaced in parallel relation therefrom and will cooperate therewith to mount. ornamental articles in a display position on the rack. Althdugh the display rack 10 is shown in a specific form, as illustrated in FIG 1, it will be understood that other types of display racks can be employed with the article holder of the present invention without departing from the spirit thereof.

Referring again to FIG. 1, hooks 14 are shown secured to the standard 12 in vertically spaced relation, and received on the hooks 14 are horizontal rods 16 that may be of any suitable length, depending upon the spacing of the vertical standards 12. As shown in FIG. 2, the cross-sectional configuration of the rod 16 is substantially circular, although, as will be described hereinafter, the rod 16 may be formed in other configurations if it is so desired.

In order to display ornamental articles on the display rack 10, a plurality of article holders generally indicated at 20 are provided and are adapted to be secured to the rods 16. Each of the article holders 20 is molded of a plastic material so as to impartresilient characteristics thereto and may be formed of any suitable color in accordance with the ornamental requirements thereforzAs shown particularly in FIGS. 2 and 3, each ornamental article holder 20 includes a platelike body portion 22 to which is integrally molded at the upper rear surface thereof an enlarged portion 24. Formed in the enlarged portion 24 is a longitudinally extending groove 26 that is defined by opposed legs 28 and 30, the legs 28 and 30 having a substantially curved configuration and cooperating with the concave groove 26 in the enlarged portion 24 to form a clamp for retaining the article holder 20 on the rod 16.

In the mounting of the article holder 20 on the rod 16, it is seen that the resiliency of the plastic material from which the holder is formed enables the legs 28 and 30 to be flexed outwardly so as topermit the rod 16 to be snapped therebetween to the position illustrated in FIG. 2. By forming the article holder of the plastic material and providing for limited flexing movement of the legs 28 and 30, the space between the outer edges of the legs 28 and 30 may be formed somewhat less than the diameter of the rod 16. The rod 16% is thus forced between the outer edges of the legs 28 and 30 and is received within the groove 26 in frictional engagement and is confined therein by the legs 28 and 30.

As shown in FIG. 3, the body portion 22 of the article holder 20 is formed with suitable openings 32 that are adapted to receive an ornamental article therein, one such article being indicated as an earring, generally indicated at 34 in FIG. 2. The earring 34 is of the piercing type and includes an outer ornament 36, to the rear surface of which a post 38 is joined. The post 38 of the earring 34 projects "through an opening 32, and a retaining element 40 is mounted on the post on the rear side of the body portion 22, thereby locking the earring on the article holder 20. This manner of holding the ornamental earring 34 in position on the article holder 20 is clearly illustrated in FIG. 2. 7

With ornamental articles, such as earrings 34, mounted on the article holder 20, the article holder may then be secured in a display position on the display rack 10 by frictionally mounting the article holder 20 on the rod 16. This is accomplished, as previously described, by forcing the longitudinal groove 26 around the rod 16 so that the legs 28 and 30 frictionally engage the rod. If it is required to remove an article holder 20 from its display position, such as upon inspection or sale of the earrings 34 mounted thereon, the complete article holder 20 is quickly and conveniently removed from the display rack by disengaging the article holder 20 from the rod 16. The article holder 20 with the earrings 34 mounted thereon may then be inspected or sold as a unit to the customer.

It is understood that in addition to forming the article holder 20 in any suitable color, depending upon the ornamental requirements therefor, the front surface of the body portion 22 may also have any indicia or descriptive material imprinted thereon as required.

Although a more common form of mounting rod would be of a circular cross-sectional configuration, such as rod 16, it is also contemplated that rods of different shapes may be em ployed with an article holder such as described hereinabove without departing from the spirit of the invention. In this connection, reference is made to FIG. 4 wherein a rod 42 having a substantially square cross-sectional configuration is adapted to receive an article holder thereon. For this purpose, the article holder is constructed so that the rear surface has legs 44 and 46 joined thereto that define a longitudinally extending groove therebetween. The inside surfaces of the legs 44 and 46 are substantially flat but are somewhat inclined to provide frictional engagement with the rod 42 upon the insertion of the rod 42 therebetween. It is understood that the article holder as shown in FIG. 4 is mounted in place on the rod 42 by the simple expedient of snapping the legs 44 and 46 around the rod 42, wherein the flat inner surfaces of the legs 44 and 46 frictionally engage the adjacent surfaces of the rod 42.

Referring now to FIG. 5, a further modified form of the invention is illustrated and includes an article holder generally indicated at 50. The article holder 50 is also formed of a plastic material and includes a flat platelike body portion 52 in which suitable openings are formed for receiving jewelry articles such as earrings. lntegrally joined to the platelike body portion 52 at the upper end thereof is a rear portion 54 that has resilient characteristics and defines a clip construction. The lowermost edge of the rear clip portion 54 flares outwardly at 56 to define a reduced area 58 through which a rod 16 is frictionally inserted.

it is seen that the clip portion 54 cooperates with the adjacent body portion 52 to define a groove 60 that has a configuration generally similar to the rod 16. When it is desired to mount the holder 50 on a rod 16, the edge 56 is placed over the rod and with a downward pressure exerted on the holder, the clip portion 54 is snapped around the rod as it is received in the groove 60. The main portion of the body portion 52 thus depends from the rod 16 as hereinabove described.

While there is shown and described herein certain specific structure embodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.

1. A display rack for use in the display of ornamental articles, comprising a plurality of elongated rods defining support members that are located in a generally horizontal position, means for mounting said rods in the horizontal position on said rack, a plurality of article holders mounted on said rods, each of said article holders being formed of plastic material and a one-piece construction and having a platelike configuration, a flexible, enlarged clip portion molded on each of said platelike holders at the rear surface thereof and formed as a one-piece unit therewith, the enlarged clip portion of each holder including opposed legs that extend substantially the longitudinal dimension of the holder, said legs being curved internally and defining a longitudinally extending concave groove therebetween that extends parallel to and conforms generally to the configuration of the rod on which the holder is mounted, said legs as forming the concave groove in the enlarged clip portion of an article holder defining a clamp for retaining the article holder on a rod, wherein the major portion of said holder depends from the rod on which the holder is mounted, the outer edges of said legs being spaced from each other to define an access opening that is smaller than the rod on which the holder is mounted, the outer edges of the legs further being rounded to define flared lips that function as lead-in means for permitting a rod to be snapped into said groove without having to manually spread apart said legs, the plane of the front surface of the holder being displaced for wardly with respect to the horizontal axis of the rod on which the holder is mounted and being parallel therewith, wherein the front surface is substantially'uninterrupted, and at least one opening formed in each platelike article holder below the clip portion thereof for receiving an ornamental article therein so as to retain the ornamental article in a display position on the holder, and each of said holders being removable as a unit with the ornamental article attached thereto from its rod for disposal or inspection.

2. A display rack for use in the display of ornamental articles, comprising a plurality of elongated rods defining support members that are located in a generally horizontal position, means for mounting said rods in the horizontal position on said rack, a plurality of article holders mounted on said rods, each of said article holders being formed of plastic material in a one-piece construction and having a platelike body portion, a flexible, enlarged clip portion joined to each platelike body portion at the rear surface thereof and formed as an integral, one-piece unit therewith, the enlarged clip portion of each holder defining a leg that extends substantially the entire longitudinal dimension of the body portion, the leg of each holder being shaped to define a longitudinally extending groove that extends parallel to and conforms generally to the configuration of the rod on which the holder is mounted, said leg as forming the groove in the enlarged clip portion of each article holder defining a clamp for retaining the article holder on a rod, wherein the major portion of said holder depends from the rod on which the holder is mounted, the lowermost edge of the leg of each clip portion being spaced from the rear surface of the holder thereof to define an access opening that is smaller than the rod on which the holder is mounted, the lowermost edge of the leg of each clip portion further being rounded to define a flared lip that functions as a lead-in means for permitting a rod to be snapped into the groove of the clip portion without having to manually spread apart said leg, the plane of the front surface of each holder being displaced forwardly with respect to the horizontal axis of the rod on which the holder is mounted and being parallel therewith, wherein the front surface is substantially uninterrupted, and at least one opening formed in each platelike article holder below the clip portion thereof for receiving an ornamental article therein so as to retain the ornamental article in a display position on the holder, and each of said holders being removable as a unit with the ornamental article attached thereto from its rod for disposal or inspection.

3. A display rack as set forth in claim 2, the clip portion of each holder including an upper wall that is inclined downwardly from the junction thereof with said body portion, wherein a positive spring action for said clip portion is obtained when the flared lip is snapped over a rod. 

1. A display rack for use in the display of ornamental articles, comprising a plurality of elongated rods defining support members that are located in a generally horizontal position, means for mounting said rods in the horizontal position on said rack, a plurality of article holders mounted on said rods, each of said article holders being formed of plastic material and a one-piece construction and having a platelike configuration, a flexible, enlarged clip portion molded on each of said platelike holders at the rear surface thereof and formed as a one-piece unit therewith, the enlarged clip portion of each holder including opposed legs that extend substantially the longitudinal dimension of the holder, said legs being curved internally and defining a longitudinally extending concave groove therebetween that extends parallel to and conforms generally to the configuration of the rod on which the holder is mounted, said legs as forming the concave groove in the enlarged clip portion of an article holder defining a clamp for retaining the article holder on a rod, wherein the major portion of said holder depends from the rod on which the holder is mounted, the outer edges of said legs being spaced from each other to define an access opening that is smaller than the rod on which the holder is mounted, the outer edges of the legs further being rounded to define flared lips that function as lead-in means for permitting a rod to be snapped into said groove without having to manually spread apart said legs, the plane of the front surface of the holder being displaced forwardly with respect to the horizontal axis of the rod on which the holder is mounted and being parallel therewith, wherein the front surface is substantially uninterrupted, and at least one opening formed in each platelike article holder below the clip portion thereof for receiving an ornamental article therein so as to retain the ornamental article in a display position on the holder, and each of said holders being removable as a unit with the ornamental article attached thereto from its rod for disposal or inspection.
 2. A display rack for use in the display of ornamental articles, comprising a plurality of elongated rods defining support members that are located in a generally horizontal position, means for mounting said rods in the horizontal position on said rack, a plurality of article holders mounted on said rods, each of said article holders being formed of plastic material in a one-piece construction and having a platelike body portion, a flexible, enlarged clip portion joined to each platelike body portion at the rear surface thereof and formed as an integral, one-piece unit therewith, the enlarged clip portion of each holder defining a leg that extends substantially the entire longitudinal dimension of the body portion, the leg of each holder being shaped to define a longitudinally extending groove that extends parallel to and conforms generally to the configuration of the rod on which the holder is mounted, said leg as forming the groove in the enlarged clip portion of each article holder defining a clamp for retaining the article holder on a rod, wherein the major portion of said holder depends from the rod on which the holder is mounted, the lowermost edge of the leg of each clip portion being spaced from the rear surface of the holder thereof to define an access opening that is smaller than the rod on which the holder is mounted, the lowermost edge of the leg of each clip portion further being rounded to define a flared lip that functions as a lead-iN means for permitting a rod to be snapped into the groove of the clip portion without having to manually spread apart said leg, the plane of the front surface of each holder being displaced forwardly with respect to the horizontal axis of the rod on which the holder is mounted and being parallel therewith, wherein the front surface is substantially uninterrupted, and at least one opening formed in each platelike article holder below the clip portion thereof for receiving an ornamental article therein so as to retain the ornamental article in a display position on the holder, and each of said holders being removable as a unit with the ornamental article attached thereto from its rod for disposal or inspection.
 3. A display rack as set forth in claim 2, the clip portion of each holder including an upper wall that is inclined downwardly from the junction thereof with said body portion, wherein a positive spring action for said clip portion is obtained when the flared lip is snapped over a rod. 